Winter storm, snowfall warnings issued for southeastern Saskatchewan

Winter storm watches that replaced special weather statements in Saskatchewan have themselves been replaced.

Just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Environment Canada issued winter storm warnings and snowfall warnings for areas of southeastern Saskatchewan, saying 15 to 40 centimetres could fall over the next two days.

There was a bit of a preview of the storm Tuesday, when snow flew in Regina in the morning and in Saskatoon in the afternoon.

“That’s just the appetizer for this weather system that will move out of the areas (Tuesday) evening,” Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said Tuesday afternoon.

“The main event will begin in the overnight period when the snow begins to push in from the south across the U.S. border and start making its way across all of southern Saskatchewan overnight and through the morning Wednesday.”

As of 3 p.m., Regina was under a snowfall warning, as were areas around Moose Jaw, Pense, Assiniboia, Coronach, Lumsden, Fort Qu’Appelle, Indian Head, Kamsack, Canora, Yorkton, Melville, Esterhazy, Humboldt and Lanigan.

Winter storm warnings were issued for areas around Moosomin, Grenfell, Kipling, Carlyle, Oxbow, Estevan and Weyburn.

However, Lang said other areas of the province would be impacted by the storm. She noted the Saskatoon area can expect five to 10 centimetres of snow and regions near the Alberta border could see up to eight centimetres.

“Everyone in southern Saskatchewan as well as the Parkland area will see snow; it’s just a matter of how much,” Lang said. “Just because you’re not in a warning area doesn’t mean that you’re not going to see snow. You’re just not going to see snow and wind to the extent that these areas are going to see it.”

Lang said that as the air mass cools during the day Wednesday, the snow will start to accumulate as opposed to melting when it hits the warm ground. She said the forecast calls for “a really wet, heavy snow.”

The weather service said visibility on highways could be affected by the blowing snow, and Lang suggested the roads could become quite treacherous as it gets colder.

“If people have travel plans for (Wednesday) and Thursday, they might think of postponing those just because it does look like quite the weather system moving through,” said Lang, who encouraged people to check the weather forecast and the Highway Hotline before venturing out.

The Saskatchewan RCMP echoed that sentiment, urging people to consider delaying travel if it’s not essential.

“If you decide to travel, ensure your vehicle has lots of fuel and that you have extra warm clothes, snacks, water, a phone charger and a snow shovel on hand,” the Mounties said in a release. “Also consider stocking your vehicle with traction mats, a tow rope or chain and a booster cable.”

— With files from 980 CJME’s Shane Clausing